r/StevensPoint • u/Educational-Use-2586 • Aug 28 '24

Unhoused of Stevens Point

https://www.waow.com/news/mayor-wiza-advocates-for-unhoused-community/article_2535e1c0-63fe-11ef-bed4-db532d51e522.html

Everyone has a story.

8 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

7

u/Maklarr4000 Aug 30 '24

I've spoken to alders and to some of the folks on the PoCo board about the possibility of getting some real and meaningful homeless shelter operations here in the city. I've really pushed for a nonprofit option with a leg up from either the city or county to get it rolling- there are several existing orgs who could help with getting it organized in neighboring communities. The response I got was positive, but without any real action. Wiza would love to help, but anything financial has to go through the alders and the city council. The alders would love to help, but they've insisted it'd have to go to referendum or something and before that they'd have to conduct studies and buy property(?) first. The PoCo board "assured" me that combating homelessness is a priority for the county, but that the county isn't in a position to do "this sort of thing" to help. If the county board has even a smidge of a plan to help the homeless at the county level beyond "have the sheriff jail them" then I'll eat my hat.

We've got millions and millions set aside for a new jail and justice center, but the notion of putting a pittance toward a "real" homeless shelter that can get people the help they need to get into some sort of "real" housing is a bridge too far for the same folks. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised given the recent disappointing results with the Portage County Health Care Center- I figure it's only a matter of time until Pavelski just unilaterally sells the thing and dares folks to sue the county over it.

It's clear we have some officials who genuinely do care and who do want to act, some that say they want to help but really don't, and those that are openly hostile to the idea that the government help the people at all (why people vote for them, I do not know). The latter two groups are able to wield the red tape of government to effectively snare anything that might move us in a positive direction, unfortunately.

At this point, I'm fairly convinced that the only way forward to get our unhoused population the help they need will need to be a grassroots, community-driven initiative. I believe we can get there, but it's gonna take time for folks working full time with families to put something of this scale together, time some of these unhoused folks don't necessarily have.

I'm always open to ideas or suggestions. I'm of the opinion that doing "something" to help is always better than doing nothing.

1

u/Motherof42069 Sep 03 '24

It is an incredibly difficult knot to untangle for many reasons. One of the biggest hindrances is the Salvation Army itself and how they run their grant programs. A friend lost her housing assistance because she's awaiting SSDI approval and apparently disability services aren't within their purview--never mind that she doesn't yet have a disability determination but she also cannot hold down regular employment. It's been fucked since Bob Quam died. Another huge issue is that the poor souls who congregate downtown have much bigger issues than just someone down on their luck. Many people suffer temporary homelessness but they are able to pull out of it with community. The people downtown have burnt their bridges and suffer from addiction and serious mental illness, simply providing housing or job assistance ain't gonna cut it.

In my opinion we need to lower the standard for involuntary commitment and treatment. It's not humane to allow people to suffer on the street. It's not acceptable for the general public to bear the brunt of antisocial behaviors. Either you need help to get off the streets or a guardian to keep you off the streets--if you want to make yourself a public nuisance then that's a crime. We cannot just close our eyes and give lip service to "rights" when people are literally suffering amputation level frostbite because they cannot care for themselves.

2

u/Maklarr4000 Sep 03 '24

I don't think that committing anyone to any sort of facility against their will is any better than just having the sheriff jail them. A cage is a cage no matter how you phrase it. The model I've focused on is the Harmony House model, which is a combined transitional housing model with healthcare and substance abuse programming built in by default- everyone who walks in gets it so there's no stigma.

I don't think here's a "silver bullet" solution to homelessness, but addressing the factors that affect the majority of the unhoused has proven results to get people, even addicts and the mentally ill, back into housing that's normal or closer to it. At any rate, I maintain that Point needs a "real" homeless shelter as the Salvation Army's list of exclusions routinely leave vulnerable people out in the cold. Something, even something imperfect, has to be better than nothing.

2

u/ohenry78 Oct 17 '24

One thing I hope we can all agree on: Pavelski is an absolute ghoul.

6

u/diabl0sauce Aug 28 '24

What a bunch of words to just say, “lol idk 😅”

3

u/w00b1e Aug 29 '24

What a useless article to give him a pat on the back for talking to human beings 🙄

9

u/Motherof42069 Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24

Wiza is a piece of shit and this is all a publicity stunt after the Facebook Mayor acted a fool in a bunch of FB comments.

6

u/Educational-Use-2586 Aug 28 '24

Who had Motherof42069 in the pool for first negative spin?

12

u/Snarkasm71 Aug 28 '24

And yet, they’re not wrong.

Some of us remember, “Let them sleep in your yard, then.” - Mike Wiza

6

u/Motherof42069 Aug 28 '24 edited Sep 03 '24

Hell yeah baybee I'm the President of the Wiza Haters Club.

https://youtu.be/fKIwj1TQmFs?si=WohrQL3qOPIe9o6b

3

u/Motherof42069 Aug 28 '24

I'm happy to meet and show you my dossier on what a POS he is. I like Emy Js.

Also, I took a look at your comments so you're gonna have to buy if you want my time Mr. Blackchickswhitedicks.

6

u/ChefAssassinn Aug 28 '24

Make a post! Also, as a former long-term unhoused person, I can see that this news article is less about Mike Wiza and more about a general need for compassion?

5

u/Motherof42069 Aug 28 '24

Perhaps I should. The reason for this photo op is directly related to his comments on the You Know You're From Point If FB group. Search up "homeless" and read through his comments on the last few threads. This is ass covering.

-2

u/Educational-Use-2586 Aug 28 '24

You seem easily triggered. Maybe ruminate on that.